Forbes released its first list of America’s 50 richest self-made women this week, and it’s filled with innovators. At the top of the list is Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of blood testing company Theranos, with a net worth of $4.5 billion. Holmes is also the youngest woman on the list and the youngest female billionaire in the world at 31 years of age.
To be considered for the list, women had to have a minimum net worth of $250 and they had to make a substantial portion of that wealth themselves. The 50 women who made the 2015 list are corporate executives, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and authors.
Most importantly, these women are innovators. They founded companies, developed new technologies, and solved people’s problems with their innovation. These women are behind powerful brands like Little Caesars, DKNY, Panda Express, Spanx, Lynda.com, Forever 21, American Girl Dolls, and Proactiv.
Let’s take a closer look at how these innovative women made their fortunes. [Read more…]